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Morning misery: Is prednisone effective 24 hrs? PMR and hands
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Dec 15, 2023 | Replies (58)Comment receiving replies
I was diagnosed with PMR in June 2022 and started on 20 mg of pred. I have decreased slowly but my doc wants m e to get off ASAP. From 3 mg down I have had a lot of pain, I'm down to 1 mg/day now and after a miserable Thanksgiving, finally had to contact my doc for some help. He said my last ESR was in the normal range so I probably don't have PMR. I wish he could sit with my pain for a day because I have all the symptoms. Does anyone have any ideas about what other conditions could mimic PMR symptoms. I'm feeling very frustrated and I feel like the doc thinks I'm a hypochondriac
Replies to "I was diagnosed with PMR in June 2022 and started on 20 mg of pred. I..."
@linneyshop I had similar problem and my doctor sent me to a rheumatologist who said it was RA which requires different meds. I am trying to get off prednisone and it seems to have helped.
Hi,
I spent 10 months suffering from pain I knew to be totally consistent with PMR. I'd had it for about 3 years 12 years previously. The Rheumatologist would not accept it was PMR because I did not have raised levels of CRP or ESR. It was only after my GP tested and ruled out for a whole range of conditions whose symptoms overlap with PMR that the Rheumatologist finally agreed I did have PMR. He had finally also deigned to read the extracts for medical journals I had found that showed that something like 20% of people with PMR do not have the associated blood markers.
It is better to be on a higher dose and limit the pain and inflammation than it is to be on a lower does and suffer. Inflammation can disrupt the healing process. Keep your dose at a level where you can handle the pain.
What are you eating? I'm sure you are already aware of this but just in case. - The foods you put into your body can have a direct impact on the level of pain and the inflammation.
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You need a different doctor that understands PMR, will prescribe enough Pred that you can adjust according to pain and stiffness while always trying to decrease without the pain coming back.